Studio 2000 Photographers

I have to admit, I was one of those people who was duped into their «free photo shoots» when I first moved to Adelaide 4 years ago, and although it was a fun experience, and the photos were ok, they were very expensive in the end.
The shoot was great, as they used some awesome cameras and you were able to choose what kind of setting you wanted etc, although sometimes they do put you in very awkward positions for minutes on end which seem like an eternity.
If you’re going to do this JUST for the free shoot… Be prepared to have a back bone and just say «no, no, NO» if you really don’t want to pay the thousands it costs to get these images. They flatter, oh boy do they flatter, and you’ll be on such a high horse you will feel like you need the photos to keep proving how awesome and beautiful you are.
Just stay away. Unless you can afford it.

What Elissa has written is very accurate!
The phone calls are by far the worse part of the whole experience, partly because they are unavoidable. The sales team will obtain your number through sweat blood and tears, then proceed to call you using every trick under the sun to get you to come in for a «free» photo shoot.
Thankfully the photo shoots were a bit of fun, and you get your hair and make up done. I actually didn’t like the way my make up was done, however I was in High School and not used to caking it on like they do. Our photographer was awesome, and he made the day really enjoyable despite the fact that I hated posing.
I guess as a whole the photos were alright, but for that price I seriously want them to make me look like Miranda Kerr or something. To their defence, Studio 2000 is one of the few photo studios that do photo shoots to this extent here in Adelaide. I guess they are definitely unique…

What to do with this studio.
first come the phone calls «you have been recommended for a free photo shoot by your friend such and such»
«she had soooooo much fun that she wanted you to have the same FREE experience! isn’t that exciting» Blah blah blah.
Now, you can tell them you aren’t interested but they aren’t going to give up so easily. A friend of mine was harassed by these people for weeks, even after she asked them to black list her. I find this quite amusing.
So it is a fun experience, you rock up with your glad rags and your best smile and they do the rest. You get to choose the styling of your shoot and drink their world famous hot chocolates (they are pretty darn good) while your stylist fusses over you and makes you look and feel like a million bucks.
After that it’s off to your shoot, your photographer is going to pose you and take your picture with a Hasselblad camera using rolls of film, not digital. These things are worth 15,000 each so they take a good shot.
Then you are going to come back in a week or so for a viewing and this is where the claws come out. You are going to be flattered to your wits end, spoken to like you are Kate Moss herself and you are going to fall in love with your photos.
You will say that you’re only having a look but before you know it you’ve just signed for a $ 3,000 package that is going to take you a year or so to pay off.
You are still going to be so happy with your decision until the moment you step out into the street and into reality.
My advice is, unless you have an iron will, don’t bring any cards with you, don’t bring any cash, just walk in to take a look at your shoot and walk out. Unless you have the kind of cash they’re after, and it’s great if you do because the photographers do a fantastic job, don’t buy into something you will surely regret.
Do it for the experience, not for the end product.